She Ain't Mine - Chapter 19
by AuroraRoseane
Summary: This is part of a round robin story I've been working on with other writers. The full story will be posted to She Ain't Mine by CommunityStory


**THIS IS CHAPTER 19 OF A STORY I'VE BEEN WRITING WITH OTHER AUTHORS, _SHE AIN'T MINE_ BY COMMUNITYSTORY. BE SURE TO CHECK IT OUT!**

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 _Love. Love, love, love._ The word fluttered around in her mind like a bird freed from it's cage. Even after a full night's sleep the word was still embedded in her thoughts.

It wasn't a feeling altogether unfamiliar to her. Not at all really, but it was in terms of loving a boy. Well, a _man._ Because no one in their right mind would ever call Daryl Dixon a boy.

Her heart pounded with her realization as they walked back through the trees. Early this morning they rose with the sun and decided that they'd look for food and supplies while making their way back towards the highway, hoping to meet back up with the others. But now it was past noon and any clues they might have had were wiped out when the herd went through. Not only that, but the dead had also chased away or eaten the majority of animal life, so hunting was pretty much pointless. Beth didn't know where her family was, or even if they were alive, or when her next meal would be. And yet the only thing on her mind was Daryl and how she woken up with her head in his lap, his fingers playing with the end of her hair.

It was distracting her, she knew, so much that she narrowly missed walking into an old bear trap. It would have clamped down on her ankle if Daryl hadn't noticed it first and pulled her out of the way. He asked if she was alright, and gave her a funny look. Beth knew that her face was bright red with embarrassment and she looked down at her feet.

But she quickly felt his fingertips on her chin pressing upwards, forcing her to look into his eyes. "'Ey, Beth. Ya sure yer alri'?" he asked, concern etched on his face.

Beth quickly nodded, face flushing once again. "Yeah, Daryl, I'm fine. Jus' thinkin'. Sorry."

He stared back into her eyes, searching for something, and she didn't know if he found it, but he nodded back at her, just once. He dropped his hand and took a step away from her, making a motion that they should keep moving. Beth gave him a small smile, then an even bigger one when he stuck his hand out in front of her, palm up, asking for her own hand. She gave it willingly and intwined their finger together as the started walking. His hand was rough, warm and calloused against her own but she quickly decided that it was one of the best feelings in the world. It sent titles down her spine that seemed to settle low in her belly, and she flushed with embarrassment again, hoping he didn't notice.

But he probably did. He's Daryl, after all.

If he did, though, he didn't say anything about it, thankfully. They walked in silence for quite awhile, Beth lost in her thoughts, and Daryl sneaking glances at her out of the corner of his eye.

She didn't know what to do. Does she tell him? _Tell him I love him?_ She mentally shook her head. _No way. It's too soon, I barely know him. What if he doesn't feel the same way._ She had nearly set her mind too it when she had another thought. _But what if he does feel the same way? I'd never know if I didn't say something._

She's pulled away from her internal crisis when he asks her a question. The one question Beth hoped he wouldn't ask. "Whacha th'nkin' 'bout?"

She turned her head to look at the man walking alongside her, mind blank on what to say. She couldn't exactly tell him the truth. Not yet anyway. So Beth gave a crappy non-answer of "Nothin' and everythin'. Jus' stuff."

Daryl hummed softly in acceptance before smirking. "Thought ah was tha one 'ho didn' li' talkin'?"

Beth giggled and smiled at him. "I'm just thinkin' about how everythin's changed," she said as they walked. "Not just the Walkers 'n all that. But at home, with Daddy and Maggie, Sha—Shawn and—and Mama." He could tell she was struggling so he squeezed her hand. It was the least he could do. It's not like he had any experience in contorting anyone before, and definitely not a teenage girl. But she composed herself, like he knew she would. There were few people Daryl knew that were as strong as Beth Greene. "And—and now we've got all these new people from the farm. Lori, Carl, Rick 'n everybody. Merle…you." She stole a glance at him. "Before there was my family, 'n school, 'n working the farm, and now there's all this," she used their connected hands to motion towards the forrest around them, "'n the walkers, 'n you. The only home I've ever know was destroyed last night and I don't even know if my family is alright. It's absolutely terrifying and I would trade anything to go back to before, but only on the condition that I'd get to keep you."

Daryl's head whipped towards the girl so fast you'd think his neck had been snapped, freezing mid-step. His heart pounded in his ears, loud enough to block out the sounds of the environment around them. And he just stared. It was all he could do; stare at this unbelievable, beautiful creature standing next to him and holding his hand.

Beth's eyes bore deep into his and he knew that everything she'd said was the truth. He felt like he couldn't breathe. She _wanted_ him. _Beth_ wanted _him._ It seemed impossible for anyone to want him, they never had before, but it wasn't, not this time. Not Beth. Beth, _Beth,_ was everything, and here she was telling him that she was _his._

He couldn't breathe, couldn't speak. Couldn't do anything except take a step closer to her, to his Beth. He needed to be closer to her, to touch her, feel her body against his and steal her breath away so that he could think again. For the first time in his life, Daryl needed someone in every single possible way, to fill his heart and heal his soul, and _she_ was willing to do that for him.

 _Beth, Beth, Beth, Beth._ Her name danced his mind, as steady as a heartbeat as he moved towards her, intent on holding on to her and never letting go.

So of course, just as he realized this Merle broke through the trees at a run, a horde of walkers on his tail, headed straight towards their next meal.


End file.
